Drawer slide assembly

ABSTRACT

THE DRAWER SLIDE ASSEMBLY COMPRISES A CABINET RUNNER, A DRAWER RUNNER AND AN INTERMEDIATE SLIDE MEMBER. THE CABINET AND DRAWER RUNNERS EACH HAVE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GUIDEWAYS, AND THE INTERMEDIATE SLIDE MEMBER HAS A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PARALLEL SECTIONS, THE TOP SECTION OF WHICH CARRIES A ROLLER AND HAS A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GUIDEWAY. THE CABINET RUNNER HAS A ROLLER WHICH IS DEPOSED WITHIN THE GUIDEWAY OF THE SLIDE MEMBER TOP SECTION, AND THE ROLLER OF THE SLIDE MEMBER TOP SECTION IS DEPOSED WITHIN THE GUIDEWAY OF THE CABINET RUNNER. THE SLIDE MEMBER BOTTOM SECTION CARRIES A PAIR OF ROLLER WHICH   ARE DISPOSED WITHIN THE ROLLER GUIDEWAY OF THE DRAWER RUNNER. INTERENGAGEABLE FORMATIONS ON THE CABINET AND CABINET RUNNER FACILITATE THE INSTALLATION OF THE DRAWER SLIDE ASSEMBLY.

Oct. 31, 1972 J. FISCHER 3,701,577

DRAWER SLIDE ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 12, 1970 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Oc t.31, 1972 J. FISCHER 3,701,577-

' DRAWER SLIDE ASSEMBLY Filed 001;. 12 1970' I -4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ""Hlll. 1

.HIHHILE (rt J. FISCHER DRAWER SLIDE ASSEMBLY Oct. 31, 1972 4 Sheets-Shet 3 Filed Oct. 12. 1970 wmmwmgfi W I 1 I wm K Oct. 31, 1972 J. FISCHER DRAWER SLIDE ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Shet 4 Filed Oct. 12, 1970 United States Patent O ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE 20 Claims The drawer slide assembly comprises a cabinet runner,

a drawer runner and an intermediate slide member. The cabinet and drawer runners each have longitudinally extending guideways, and the intermediate slide member has a pair of longitudinally extending parallel sections, the top section of which carries a roller and has a longitudinally extending guideway. The cabinet runner has a roller which is disposed within the guideway of the slide member top section, and the roller of the slide member top section is disposed within the guideway of the cabinet runnefi The slide member bottom section carries a pair of rollers which are disposed within the roller guideway of the drawer runner. Interengageable formations on the cabinet and cabinet runner facilitate the installation of the drawer slide assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improvement in a drawer slide assembly of the type used between the sides of a drawer and the adjacent sides of the cabinet into which the drawer is adapted to slide. For each drawer in a file cabinet, desk or other cabinet, two drawer slide assemblies are employed, one on either side of the drawer.

In the construction of a drawer slide assembly, two important considerations are the cost of the assembly and the ability of the assembly to withstand wear and stress in operation. Unfortunately, in most designs these desideratums are antithetical. A drawer slide assembly which is relatively inexpensively constructed with a minimum number of parts is usually one which exhibits the greatest stress and is apt to wear out the fastest. On the other hand, slides of previous designs which have taken into consideration factors of stress and wear have generally been rather complex structures with a tendency toward materially increas ing the cost of the drawer slide assembly.

The present design is intended to eliminate the apparent contrariety between the desirability for a simplified, less costly structure and the desirability for a structure which exhibits good distribution of stress and resistance to wear. The design is particularly adapted for use in connection with sheet metal desks or cabinets and features a novel attachment means between the drawer slide assembly and the associated portions of the cabinet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The drawer slide assembly is adapted to be used in combination with a cabinet having a drawer opening and a drawer movable within the drawer opening between an open and a closed position with respect to the cabinet. The drawer slide assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the invention comprises a first runner having a longitudinally extending guideway. In the preferred embodiment this runner is attached to the drawer. A second runner carries a roller and also has a longitudinally extending guideway. In the preferred embodiment this second runner is connected to the cabinet.

The third element of the drawer slide assembly is an intermediate slide member which has a pair of integral, longitudinally extending parallel sections. The first of these parallel sections carries a roller and has a longitudinal guideway. The roller of the second or cabinet runner is disposed within the guideway of the first section of the slide member, and the roller of the slide member first section is disposed within the guideway of the second or cabinet runner. The second section of the intermediate slide member carries a pair of rollers which are disposed within the roller guideway of the first or drawer runner. The rollers on the second runner and intermediate slide member are so arranged that when the drawer slide assembly is completely closed, the forward roller on the second or cabinet runner and the forward roller on the intermediate slide member second section are substantially vertically aligned, and when the slide assembly is completely open or extended, the forward roller on the second or cabinet runner and the other or rearward roller of said pair of rollers on the slide member second section are substantially vertically aligned. This arrangement produces an even distribution of the load forces, minimizing the stress on any one particular roller.

Another feature of the invention is the means for affixing the second or cabinet runner to the cabinet. This includes a first formation on the cabinet and a corresponding first formation on the cabinet runner. The first formations are adapted for engagement when they are aligned and the second or cabinet runner is moved axially relative to the cabinet. A second formation on the cabinet and a corresponding second formation on the cabinet runner are spaced from the corresponding first formations and adapt ed for interengagement when the second formations are aligned and the cabinet runner is moved transversely relative to the cabinet. In the preferred embodiment means is provided for locking the second formations in their position of interengagement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a file cabinet in which are installed drawer slide assemblies constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of one of the drawer slide assemblies;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the drawer slide assembly in a fully closed position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the assembly in a partially open or extended position with the drawer or first runner fully extended;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a drawer slide as sembly in the fully open or extended position;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of portions of the drawer slide assembly in the partially extended positio just before reaching the position of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the portions of the drawer slide assembly in the fully extended position of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the second or cabinet runner;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the second or cabinet runner;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the front portions of the cabinet and the cabinet runner aligned for assembly FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the front portions of the cabinet and cabinet runner after assembly;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the attachment of the cabinet runner to the front and rear portions of the cabinet;

FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the intermediate slide member; 7

FIG. 14 is an end elevational view of the intermediate slide member;

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the first or drawer runner taken from the opposite FIGS. 3-5;

side from that viewed in FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a portion of the drawer FIG. 17 is an endelevational view looking in at the for- Ward end of the drawer runner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 there is illustrated a cabinet and a pair of drawers both denoted by the numeral 11 which are mounted for sliding movement within the cabinet 10 by means of drawer slide assemblies 12 constructed in accordance with this invention.

Each drawer slide assembly 12 comprises three elements: a first runner 14, a second runner 16 and an intermediate slide number 18. The first runner 14 is adapted to be connected by suitable means such as screws, bolts or spot welding to the drawer, and thus this first runner may be termed the drawer runner. The second runner 16 is adapted to be connected to the cabinet 10 by means which will be more fully hereinafter described, and this runner is, therefore, appropriately termed the cabinet runner.

The drawer runner 14 as best illustrated in FIG. 2 has a substantially C-shaped cross section formed by means of a vertical portion 20, a top transverse portion 22, a bottom transverse portion 24 and ,a depending flange portion 26 which is attached to the end of the top transverse portion 22 and extends downwardly therefrom. These portions of the first runner 14 thus define a longitudinally extending guideway 28.

Extending across and closing the guideway 28 at the front end of the drawer runner 14 (i.e., the end toward the front of the cabinet 10) is a transverse end flange 30 best illustrated in FIGS. and 17. Attached to the inside of this flange by means of a screw member 32 is a resilient stop member 34. Toward the rearward end of the drawer runner 14 in the lower transverse portion 24 is an opening 24abest shown in FIGS. 15 and 16.

The second or cabinet runner 16 is illustrated in cross section in the assembly in FIG. 2 and is also illustrated in FIGS. 8-10. This cabinet runner includes a vertical portion 34, a top transverse portion 36, a bottom transverse portion 38 and a flange 40 which is integral with and depends from the outward edge of the top transverse portion 36. These portions of the second runner 16 thus define a longitudinally extending guideways 42 (see FIG. 2) for the cabinet runner. At the front end of the cabinet runner is a roller 44, the upper end of which extends above the level of the upper transverse portion 36. For

this reason the upper transverse portion 36 of the cabinet runner does not extend to the forward end of this runner, but instead stops short thereof.

The third element of the drawer slide assembly 12 is the intermediate slide member illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 and in the assembly of FIG. 2. This intermediate slide member is divided into a pair of integral, longitudinally extending parallel sections 46 and 48 by means of an intermediate transverse portion 50. The intermediate transverse portion 50 serves as the bottom transverse portion for the upper section 46 of the slide member and also serves as the top transverse portion for the bottom section 48 of the slide member. The upper or first section 46 of the slide member further includes a vertical portion 52, a top transverse portion 54 and a depending flange portion 56, thereby defining with the intermediate transverse portion 50 a longitudinally extending guideway 58 for the upper section 46 of the slide member. The bottom or second section 48 of the slide member 12 includes a vertical portion 60 which is oflset from the vertical portion 52 of the top section by the distance equal to the width of the intermediate portion 50.

The upper section 46 of the slide member carries a roller 62 within the guideway 58, this roller being located at the rearward end of this slide member section, i.e., toward the rear of the cabinet 10. Disposed slightly rearwardly of the center of the slide member upper section is a resilient stop member or bumper 64 which in this instance is merely a rubber washer held in place by means of a suitable fastener such as a rivet 64a. The bottom section 48 of the intermediate slide member carries three rollers 66, 68 and 70 which are respectively positioned at the front, the center and the rear of this section of the slide member. As will be more fully explained the roller 70 may be eliminated in some designs, and, therefore, this bottom section 48 may be described as having a pair of rollers 66 and 68, with the roller 70 being described as an additional feature. This roller 70 is preferably aligned with the roller 62 on the upper section.

Between the front roller 66 and the middle roller 68 is a metal fingerlike pawl or stop member 72, this stop member being pivotally mounted on the vertical portion 60 of the bottom section 48 of the intermediate slide member by means of a rivet or other fastener 74 (see FIG. 6). The stop member 72 has a tip portion 72a, the lower edge of which is straight, and a hook portion 72b which is disposed rearwardly of the tip portion and extends downwardly and then forwardly. I ust rearwardly of the hook portion 72b is a heel portion 72c the lower extremity of which preferably aligns with the lower extrem'ny of the hook portion. This heel portion serves as a cam to raise the stop member upwardly and thereby disengage the hook portion upon the closing movement of the drawer slide, as will be further explained. If desired, a resilient element 76 may be provided at the upper end of the hook portion 72b, this resilient member preferably completely encircling the upper end of the hook portion and serving to reduce noise in the stopping action.

The assembly and the operation of the three elements of the drawer slide assembly are best illustrated in the assembly of FIGS. 2-5 with details being shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. From these figures it may be seen that the roller 44 of the cabinet runner 16 is disposed within the guideway 58 of the intermediate slide member upper section 46, and the roller 62 of the slide member top section is disposed within the guideway 42 of the cabinet runner. The three rollers 66, 68 and 70 on the bottom section 48 of the intermediate slide member are disposed within the guideway 28 of the drawer runner 14.

The intermediate slide member 18 is thus suspended from the cabinet runner 16 by means of the cabinet runner roller 44, which is disposed within the guideway 58 of the slide member, and the slide member roller 62, which is disposed within the guideway of the cabinet runner. The roller 44 rollably engages the top transverse portion 54 of the slide member, and the roller 62 rollably engages the top transverse portion 36 of the cabinet runner 16. The outward extension of the slide member 18 with respect to the cabinet runner 16 is limited by the resilient stop member 64 which engages the roller 44 on the cabinet runner in the fully extended position as illustrated in FIG. 5.

The drawer runner 14 is suspended from the intermediate slide member 18 by means of the intermediate slide member rollers 66, 68 and 70 which are disposed within the guideway 28 of the drawer runner and rollably engage the top transverse portion 22 of the drawer runner.

The outward extension of the drawer runner 14 with respect to the intermediate slide member 18 is limited by means of the stop member 72 which acts as a latch and drops by gravity into the opening 24a in the bottom transverse portion of the drawer runner, the opening-defining portions serving as a keeper. In this position which is illustrated in FIG. 7 the hook portion 72b of the stop member 72 engages the rearward edge of the opening 24a while the tip portion 72a of the stop member 72 rests on the interior surface of the transverse portion 24 of the drawer runner 14. The opening 24a is of such length that the heel portion72c of the stop member will also be accommodated therein when in the stop position. -In this stop position the resilient element 76 is actually in engagement with the drawer runner, thereby eliminating noise and cushioning the stop of the drawer runner with respect to the intermediate slide member. When the drawer slide is moved toward its closed position the heel portion 720 will be forced upwardly, camming the hook element upwardly out of engagement with the opening-defining portions of the drawer runner. Since the hook portion itself is angled rearwardly, the rearward (closing) movement of the drawer slide will be unhindered.

The stop member or latch 72 and the keeper portions which define the opening 24a in the transverse portion 24 of the drawer runner thus form the first stop means for limiting the longitudinal opening movement of the drawer runner relative to the slide member in the forward or opening movement of the drawer runner. The stop element 64 serves as the second stop means for limiting the. longitudinal opening movement of the side member relative to the cabinet runner in the same opening or forward direction, and the bumper or stop member 34 on the transverse end flange 30 of the drawer runner serves as the third stop means for limiting the longitudinal closing movement of the drawer runner relative to the slide member in the opposite direction.

The first stop means is positioned to stop the longitudinal movement (extension) of the drawer runner relative to the slide member in the opening direction when approximately one-half of the drawer runner extends beyond the forward end of the slide member, and the second stop means is positioned to stop the longitudinal movement of the slide member with respect to the cabinet runner in the opening direction when approximately onehalf of the slide member extends beyond the forward end of the cabinet runner. From FIG. it will be seen that in the fully open or extended position the drawer runner 14 is stopped so that the middle roller 68 of the slide member bottom section is disposed at least partially within the guideway of and serves to support the first or drawer runner adjacent the rearward end thereof. Also, in the fully open position this middle roller 68 (which is the rearwardmost roller of the forward pair of rollers 66 and 68 on the slide member second or bottom parallel portion) is in substantial vertical alignment with the roller 44 on the cabinet runner 16.

When the slide assembly is completely closed, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the roller 44 on the cabinet runner 16 and the forward roller 66 on the slide member bottom parallel section 48 are substantially vertically aligned. In the fully open position the roller 62 on the slide member top section is located at approximately the longitudinal center of the cabinet runner.

The rearward roller 70 on the bottom section of the slide member serves merely as an additional guide and support for the drawer runner as that runner moves into and out of its fully closed position illustrated in FIG. 1. In some designs it may be desirable to eliminate the roller 70 altogether, and where the expected weight toward the rear of the drawer is light this may be done without effecting the operation of the drawer slide assembly. However, for heavy duty use, the roller 70 is desired.

The positioning of the rollers on the drawer runner and intermediate slide member is an important feature of this invention providing a more even distribution of the static load in every position of the drawer slide assembly. The even distribution of the load over the rollers is important in minimizing the wear and stress in the drawer slide assembly during operation. Nevertheless, the drawer slide assembly is inexpensively constructed and employs a minimum number of parts.

The cabinet runner 16 may be connected to the cabinet by the novel connecting means best illustrated in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12. In the usual construction of the steel cabinet for which this type of connection is particularly adapted, there are two vertical channel members 80 and 82 at the inside front and rear, respectively, of each vertical side wall of the cabinet. The two vertical channel members 80 at either side of the opening at the front of the cabinet 10 are illustrated in FIG. 1. In each of the rearward vertical channel members 82 (see FIG. 12) there is disposed an aperture 84, and a tab 86 struck from the vertical portion 34 of the cabinet runner 16 extends transversely outwardly and then rearwardly to form, in effect, a rearwardly extending hook. The dimensions of the tab 86 are slightly smaller than those of the aperture 84 in the rear vertical channel member 82, so that the tab '86 will fit into the aperture 84, and rearward movement of the cabinet runner 14 will result in the interengagement between the aperture-defining portions of the vertical channel member 82 and the rearwardly extending tab 86 on the cabinet runner.

The forward vertical members each have an aperture 88, and a tab is struck from the vertical portion 34 of the cabinet runner 16, this tab extending outwardly and then downwardly to form a downwardly depending hook. The distance between the tabs 86 and 90 on the vertical portion of the cabinet runner is slightly greater than the distance between the openings '84 and 88 in the rearward and front vertical members 82 and 80, respectively. This distance is such that when the tab 86 has been inserted into the aperture 84 and locked in place by rearward movement of the cabinet runner, the tab 90 will align with the aperture 88 and may be inserted thereinto. Then with downward movement of the forward end of the cabinet runner the tab 90 will lock in place on the aperture-defining portions of the forward vertical member 80.

In the illustrated embodiment (see particularly FIGS. 10-12) means is provided for locking the tab 90 in its position of engagement with the aperture-defining portions of the vertical member 80. Extending outwardly from the vertical portion 34 of the cabinet runner is a substantially L-shaped tab 92 having a transverse portion 94 and a forwardly extending portion 96, the portion 96 of the tab being spaced transversely from the vertical portion 34 of the cabinet member to define a forwardly open slot 98. An aperture 100 is cut in the forward vertical channel member 80 of the cabinet, this aperture having a central horizontal slot portion 102, a first vertical portion 104 extending downwardly from the rearward end of the slot 102, and a second vertical portion 106 extending upwardly from the forward end of the central slot portion 102. A tab 108 extends into the second vertical portion 106 of the aperture 100.

The central slot portion 102 is adapted to receive the cabinet runner tab 92 with the transverse portion 94 of that tab aligned with the vertical portion 104 of the aperture 100. The tab 92 will extend into the central slot portion 102 at the same time that the tab 90 extends into the slot 88. Then when the forward end of the cabinet runner is moved downwardly to lock tab 90 over the aperture-defining portions of the forward channel member 80, the trasverse portion 94 of the tab 92 will move downwardly in the vertical portion 104 of the aperture 100, and the rearwardly extending portion 96 of the tab will lock behind the part of the forward channel member 80 which lies immediately below the central slot portion 102 and laterally adjacent the first vertical portion 104 of the aperture.

Extending upwardly from the vertical portion 34 of the cabinet runner at the extreme froward end thereof is an upright part 110 at least a portion of which aligns with the slot 102 when the tabs 90 and 92 have engaged in their respective apertures 88 and 100. The tab 108 is then bent inwardly over the top of the upright part 110, thereby locking the forward end of the cabinet runner downwardly with the abs 90 and 92 lacthingly engaging the aperturedefining portions of the cabinet front vertical member 80'. Thus the cabinet runner is locked in its position with the tab 86 at the rearward end and the tabs 90 and 92 at the forward end engaged in the respective apertures. This connection permits the slide assembly to be quickly and easily assembled onto a cabinet.

If desired, and as an alternative structure, the tab 108 may be positioned immediately below the slot 102 so that it may lock in place over the rearwardly extending portion 96 of the tab 92, thereby locking the tab itself against vertical movement. This would permit the vertical portion '110 to be eliminated.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that many additional modifications and changes in various details may be resorted to without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A drawer slide assembly comprising a first runner having a longitudinally extending guideway, a second runner carrying a roller and having a longitudinally extending guideway, and an intermediate slide member having a pair of longitudinally extending parallel sections, one of said slide member parallel sections carrying a roller having a fixed position and having a longitudinally extending guideway, the roller of said second runner being disposed within the guideway of said slide member one parallel section and the roller of said slide member one parallel section being disposed within the guideway of said second runner, said slide member second parallel section carrying a pair of rollers disposed within the roller guideway of said first runner, each of said guideways having a depending flange portion which extends behind the roller disposed therewithin, whereby the rollers will be retained within the guideways.

2. The structure of claim 1 and further including first stop means for limiting the longitudinal opening movement of said first runner relative to said slide member in one direction and second stop means for limiting the longitudinal opening movement of said slide member relative to said second runner in said one direction.

3. The structure of claim 2 and further including third stop means for limiting the longitudinal closing movement of said first runner relative to said slide member in the opposite direction.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein the roller on said second runner is positioned adjacent the forward end of said runner, the roller on said slide member one parallel section is positioned adjacent the rearward end of said slide member, and the rollers on said slide member second parallel section are positioned respectively adjacent the forward end and at approximately the center of said section.

5. The structure of claim 2 wherein said first stop means is positioned to stop the longitudinal movement of said first runner relative to said slide member in said one direction when approximately one-half of said first runner extends beyond the end of said slide member.

6. The structure of claim 2 wherein said second stop means is positioned to stop the longitudinal movement of said slide member relative to said second runner in said one direction when the rearwardmost roller of said pair of rollers on said slide member second parallel section is in substantially vertical alignment with the roller on said second runner.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein third stop means is positioned to stop the longitudinal movement of said first runner relative to said slide member in the opposite direction when the forwardmost roller of said pair of rollers on said slide member second parallel section is in substantially vertical alignment with the roller on said second runner.

8. The structure of claim 3 wherein said slide member second parallel section carries a third roller disposed rearwardly of said pair of rollers for support of said first runner when said first runner is moved to its fully closed position.

9. In combination with a cabinet having a drawer opening and a drawer movable within the drawer opening between an open and a closed position with respect to said cabinet; a drawer slide assembly comprising a drawer runner having a longitudinally extending guideway, a cabinet runner carrying a roller and having a longitudinally extending guideway, and an intermediate slide member having top and bottom longitudinally extending parallel sections, the top one of said slide member parallel sections carrying a roller and having a longitudinally extending guideway, the roller of said cabinet runner being disposed within the guideway of said slide member top parallel section and the roller of said slide member top parallel section being disposed within the guideway of said cabinet runner, said slide member bottom parallel section carrying a pair of rollers disposed within the roller guideway of said drawer runner, means affixing said drawer runner to said drawer, and means affixing said cabinet runner to said cabinet, whereby said intermediate slide member and said runners are in tension in the closed position of said drawer slide assembly.

10. The structure of claim 9 wherein said means for affixing said cabinet runner to said cabinet includes a first formation on said cabinet and a corresponding first formation on said cabinet runner, said first formations being interengageable when they are aligned and said cabinet runner is moved axially relative to said cabinet, a second formation on said cabinet and a corresponding second formation on said cabinet runner, said second formations being spaced from said first formations and interengageable when said second formations are aligned and said cabinet runner is moved transversely relative to said cabinet.

11. The structure of claim 10 wherein a third formation is provided in vertically spaced relation with respect to said second formation on said cabinet and a third formation provided in vertically spaced relation with respect to said second formation on said cabinet runner, said third formations being positioned for interengagement simultaneously with the interengagement of said cabinet formations when said formations are aligned and said second runner is moved transversely relative to said cabinet.

12. The structure of claim 10 wherein the spacing between said first and second formations on said cabinet runner is greater than the spacing of said first and second formations on said cabinet, whereby said second formations are aligned for interengagement when said cabinet runner has been moved axially to interengage said first formations.

13. The structure of claim 12 wherein means is provided for locking said second formations in their position of interengagement.

14. The structure of claim 9 wherein the roller on said cabinet runner and the forwardmost roller of said pair of rollers on said slide member bottom parallel section being substantially vertically aligned when said drawer slide assembly is completely closed.

15. The structure of claim 9 wherein said roller on said cabinet runner and the rearwardmost of said pair pair of rollers on said slide member bottom parallel sec tion are substantially vertically aligned when said drawer slide assembly is completely open.

16. The structure of claim 9 wherein the roller on said slide member top parallel section is located at approximately the longitudinal center of said cabinet runner, and the rearwardmost roller of said bottom parallel section pair of rollers is disposed at least partially within the guideway of said drawer runner adjacent the rearward end thereof when said drawer slide assembly is completely open.

17. The structure of claim 9 wherein said pair of rollers carried by said slide member bottom parallel section are disposed at approximately the front and center of said section, and a third roller is disposed adjacent the rear of said section.

18. A drawer slide assembly comprising a first runner having a longitudinally extending guideway, a second runner carrying a roller and having a longitudinally extending guideway, and an intermediate slide member having a pair of longitudinally extending parallel sections, one of said slide member parallel sections carrying a roller and having a longitudinally extending guideway, the roller of said second runner being disposed within the guideway of said slide member one parallel section and the roller of said slide member one parallel section being disposed within the guideway of said second runner, said slide member second parallel section carrying a pair of rollers disposed within the roller guideway of said first runner, first stop means for limiting the longitudinal opening movement of said first runner relative to said slide member in one direction, and second stop means for limiting the longitudinal opening movement of said slide member relative to said second runner in said one direction, said first stop means including a latch element carried on said second parallel section of said intermediate slide member, and a keeper formation on said first runner.

19. The structure of claim 18 wherein said latch element is disposed intermediate said rollers on the second parallel section of said intermediate slide member.

20. A drawer slide assembly comprising a bottom runner adapted to be attached to a drawer and having a longitudinally extending guideway, a top runner adapted to be attached to a cabinet and carrying a roller and having a longitudinally extending guideway, an intermediate slide member having top and longitudinally extending parallel sections, the top one of said slide member par allel sections carrying a roller and having a longitudinally extending guideway, the roller of said top runner being disposed within the guideway of said slide member top parallel section and the roller of said slide member top parallel section being disposed within the guideway of said top runner, said slide member bottom parallel section carrying a pair of rollers disposed within the roller guideway of said bottom runner, whereby said intermediate slide member and said runners are in tension in the closed position of said drawer slide assembly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,331,529 10/1943 Wolters et al. 312 337 1,934,644 11/1933 Rand 31Z263 1,109,812 9/1914 Yawman 312339 2,868,608 1/1959 Gunn et al. 312337 3,298,768 1/1967 Vogt 3l2339 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner D. F. MARQUETTE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. ,577 Dated October 31, 1972 Inventor(s) Jack Fischer It is certified that error appears in the'above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 3, l. l After "drawer" insert runner;

Col. 3, l. 14 "number" should be member Col. 3, l. 45 "guide'ways" Should be guideway Col. 6, l. 68 "abs" should be tabs Col. 6, l. 68 "lacthingly" should 'be latChingly Col. 8, l. 38 "second runner" should be Claim 11 i t runner Col. 8, l. 57

Claim 15 Delete "pair" CO1. 10, 1. l

Claim 20 After and insert bottom Signed and sealed this 24th day of April 1973'.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 us. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I969 0366-334 

